Tropic trip . Attempt no 2.

[AussieMick]

We are waiting for new covid rules tomorrow., hopefully border restrictions will be relaxed. This should give us another attempt to get to Far North Queensland. My wife"s father is in a nursing home in Cairns, QLD so we want to visit him if at all possible. Time will tell .

 

[kurienp]

Agree. Hopefully good news as things change for the better. Many trips on hold ... not knowing what border restrictions will be in place. I have delayed booking car-train tickets in Sweden, just to see how things are going to shape up in the next few months. end September trip.

 

[Loz]

(pulling up a chair to eagerly await the new series)

 

[AussieMick]

Van is packed and we are leaving tomorrow morning ( Monday).
Having to go up the middle again and retrace trip we tried 2 weeks ago.
Unfortunately NSW is closed to the rest of Australia due to worsening covid numbers so have to go via Alice Springs as Northern Territory borders are open again.
I will try and take pictures along the way and post a bit of a blog.
Its the middle of winter here in southern Australia so in a few days time it will get progressively warmer as we head towards the tropics.

 

[kurienp]

@AussieMick , where you starting from? All the best! Looking forward to the pics and travel details

 

[AussieMick]

Starting from Adelaide in South Australia.

 

[AussieMick]

Here is a map of route. The blue circle is where we got to 2 weeks ago 1250 km from home.
So will be retracing our path until north of circle.
Plenty of free camps along route so at least that makes it easy to camp overnight.

 

[Sim60]

That takes me back - followed that route by greyhound bus 30 years ago.
Stopped at three ways roadhouse - couldn’t work out why the freezer was full of baguettes- turned out to be kangaroo tails!
Good luck
simon

 

[AussieMick]

Hi @Sim60
We will turn right at 3 ways then head into Queensland.

 

[Sim60]

Yes -that’s the route we took - 45C in a bus with broken Air-con.
we were glad to get out at Mount Isa where we found an open air swimming pool - and then the storm hit!

 

[AussieMick]

Left home at 8:00 this morning, we are camped 620 kms north.
After 300km the country turns arid again, but very easy to find good spots to camp for the night.
Clear sky so will be cold tonight.

When we left home all borders in front of us open. Just heard a furniture removal van crossed from Sydney to Melbourne then to Adelaide with crew who tested positive for covid19.
Hopefully nothing will come of this but have to monitor news before we cross the border to NT.

Camped in typical scrubby country for this area, nice and peaceful as no one is around yet.

 

[AussieMick]

Had no phone coverage for most of yesterday so this post covers 2 days.
Spent last night at the SA/NT border. Good big area to camp overnight.
For once we had mainly campervans for company (2)
Crossed border this morning and cleared Police checkpoint , sounding like the cold war era.
Drove to Alice Springs and are staying in a caravan park as we wanted showers and shopping before we head north tomorrow.
Actually rained for the first 100km this morning, I haven't seen rain in Northern Territory before so quite noval to me.
Temperatures are rising, it is 32c in Alice Springs now, so short pants are all the rage.
Currently 1560km from home with another 2000km or so to go till we get to North Queensland.
We will cross the tropic of capricorn line tomorrow and will officially be in the tropics.

 

[AussieMick]

No phone coverage for large distances. Have crossed the border from NT and into Queensland, about 1100km to go.
Free camping along the road, some you have to be in by 3pm or they might be full.
Had last night to ourselves parked by a decommissioned radio tower. Great sunrise and sunset every day it seems.
Now heading north to the gulf country to Normanton by the coast.

 

[AussieMick]

In Normanton 700kms west of Cairns. This crocodile was shot in the local river. It was 28 foot long and weighed about 2 tons. No swimming in any waters up this way. Local architecture typical of Queensland. Found a couple of shadows who were having a drink.

 

[AussieMick]

While I have a phone signal I may as well use it.
We have about 700kms to go till Cairns so have decided to take it easy and do it over 2 days.
Sitting on the verandah of a pub having a beer.
Time is different up here, seems slower, no one is in a hurry, no traffic lights or crowds.
Long straight roads without traffic, no border crossing on the Queensland side.
Roads closed in the wet season due to flooding but so dry at the moment. Ant hills everywhere.
View attachment 123917

 

[AussieMick]

Camped at campground at Croydon Qld with toilets and showers , all for the princely sum of $5 for 2 nights.
As it's hot here , about 35c , shade is desirable if you can find it.
Should get to my wife's sisters place in Mareeba by about lunchtime tomorrow.
Would have done around 4000km by then. Picture of waiting rooms for train, nothing to flash.

 

[AussieMick]

Haven't posted for a while as covid situation changing rapidly. South Australia where we come from has been added to a declared covid hotspot so we are staying at home at my sister in law's property in North Queensland until we learn what new restrictions apply to us.
So nothing to write about really.
Well over half of Australia is now in lockdown.
Stay safe

 

[kurienp]

Haven't posted for a while as covid situation changing rapidly. South Australia where we come from has been added to a declared covid hotspot so we are staying at home at my sister in law's property in North Queensland until we learn what new restrictions apply to us.
So nothing to write about really.
Well over half of Australia is now in lockdown.
Stay safe

Your objective was to get to Cairns to see you FIL, which I hope has been accomplished! Can see on the map that Cairns and Mareeba are nearby.

Numbers are rising here in the UK but thankfully much lower hosp admissions and fatality rates.

Stay safe, and if the north is safer then, yeah, delay your return

... But you can still send us pics of your van parked up

 

[AussieMick]

Saw my wife's father a couple of days ago, have just gotten off the phone to the Queensland health department and we are ok to continue our holiday so it's on again. Planning now to get out to the reef.
Picture of van parked. The property we are staying on grows limes . This area used to be for growing tobacco but not any more , a few old tobacco drying sheds are seen in the fields.

 

[AussieMick]

From the Lime growing property we went down the range to Cairns, booked accommodation for 3 nights. Went out to Green Island which is 28km offshore from Cairns. Did a bit of snorkeling amongst the coral and tropical fish, pretty good but not as good as the outer reef which we snorkeled 3 years ago.

Warning History bit.

Drove today to Cooktown which is where Captain Cook had to spend 48 days repairing HMS Endeavour after crashing into the great barrier reef and holing his ship. Luckily for them a piece of coral broke off and stuck in the hole so pumps could just cope until he could find a landing place.
The ships carpenter repaired damage and off they went.
Saw their first kangaroo here around Cooktown.
Any North Yorkshire people on the forum, Cpt Cook is one of your famous sons.
Pictures of around Cairns, Green Island and Cooktown.